


The Hanged Man

by BoBoK



Series: The Merc: [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2020-11-25 20:11:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20917916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoBoK/pseuds/BoBoK
Summary: Six months after he wakes from his coma, six months after his lie was revealed, Ren begins his path towards making Shibuya a safer place for the innocent and more importantly; those he loves.





	1. Altrovesky Paltrov

Ren huffed out a sigh as he stepped in front of the police building, looking down at his feet as he strode up the steps. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a neatly buttoned black peacoat and a pair of thin-framed circular glasses, which weren’t exactly prescription but he liked them. He tucked his hands away in his pockets as he entered the building, walking past a few of the newer cadets chatting at the reception desk. 

He walked through the doorway and turned left, heading towards the Commissioner’s office, knocking a few times on the door before he heard a quiet ‘Come in!’ 

He opened the door, sharing a stare with the man behind his desk. 

“Ah, Mr. Amamiya… How can I help you today?” Commissioner Shinichi asked, a slight irritation to his tone. 

“I’d like to become a detective for the Shibuya Police Department.” He said, staring at the man with his same bland stare. 

Shinichi tilted his head in curiosity and leaned forward in his chair, clasping his hands as he rested them on his desk. “Private Investigator to a detective? Why the sudden change of heart?” He smirked slightly, this was _big_. Amamiya’s private investigating business he had started proved very successful. Mr. Amamiya was able to solve murder cases that had been closed for years, he had seen him in action. 

He remembered clearly watching Mr. Amamiya almost zone out as he stood in the center of a room where a murder had taken place years ago, one that had become a cold case, and suddenly spark back to life as he went on to rummage through the massive bookshelf, picking out a specific book and opening directly to a page that reopened the case itself and gave enough evidence to track down the murderer and have him arrested. 

“I got tired of being my own boss.” He replied flatly. 

“Well, Mr. Amamiya…” The commissioner said with a small grin as he stood up from his desk, walking around it as he approached Ren, holding out a stiff hand, which Ren took and shook firmly. “I suppose you're going to have to go through basic training, in order to become a detective.”

Ren narrowed his eyes. “Seriously?” 

The Commissioner shook his head and released his grip on Ren, pulling his hand back and tucking it into his pocket. “No, I’m only messing with you.” He said with a slight chuckle, smacking Ren’s arm gently with the back of his other palm, an awkward and strange silence falling between the two. “Right… Follow me.” Shinichi finally said, walking past Ren, towards the door as he swung it open.

Ren followed the Commissioner through the building, listening intently as Shinichi gave him a tour of a building Ren already knew inside and out.

At the end of said tour, Shinichi took Ren back into his office, shutting the door behind them. 

“Now… Luckily for you, tomorrow is the promotion ceremony.” Shinichi said, turning to face Ren. “There, you will be given your badge and gun.” 

“What if I already own my own firearm?” Ren asked, keeping his hands tucked away in the pockets of his coat.

“Just- play along with me here, no need to ask questions that you can easily come up with an answer for. You’re going to be a detective after all.” He said, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index and thumb. “And at the same said ceremony, I will be announcing my resignation.”

“Resignation?” His eyebrow cocked up.

“Look at me! I’m getting too old to be a Commissioner! Besides, it’s about time to retire for me.” He said with a somber chuckle, silence following shortly after. “Anyways, I already have my candidate for who I want to stand up and take my place.”

“And who would that be, Commissioner?” 

“You’ll learn tomorrow.” He said simply. “Now go get yourself a nice suit for tomorrow.” 

Ren nodded and turned around, opening the door and heading towards the exit to the police building. _‘Resignation, huh?’_ He thought to himself as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “You didn’t even give me a time!” He said turning around.

The Commissioner chuckled and nodded. “Nine A.M. Sharp!” 

Ren frowned and turned back around. “I suppose it isn’t _that_ early.” He mumbled to himself, beginning to walk off. _‘And why is the Commissioner so buddy-buddy with me?’_

Shinichi turned around with a proud smirk. ‘Perfect.’ 

During Ren’s walk back home, he had begun to think about the past months. According to his foggy and very poor memory, it had been approximately six, no seven- no six months since he woke up from his coma. Four since he had begun his role as a private investigator for Shibuya, but now he was moving up very quickly through the ranks of status, from a lowly mercenary with no empathy to a less-lowly private investigator with some empathy, and soon to be a detective with some empathy. It was still bizarre to him, considering how much chaos he had caused the police department within his first few months of returning, and how much chaos he caused for Makoto. While Ren could never shake away his shit-eating grin when he saw Makoto’s face when she learned of him returning, he did feel quite bad for throwing her whole world into a loop. The darker parts of Ren still lurked within him, the malice that burned within him remained within him. While the small voice that controlled Ren from time to time hadn’t grown any less violent, its target of said violence had changed. 

It was targeting his mind. 

** _You know you don’t deserve her, Ren._ **

“Shut up.” He mumbled quietly in response. 

** _Makoto deserves someone right for her, not a murderer._ **

“I was only following orders.”

** _If you really think that excuses your actions, then you’re mentally deranged, fool. She doesn’t deserve to suffer being in a relationship with a murderer like you._ **

Ren fell quiet as he kept his hands in his pocket, mumbling gibberish to himself.

Over the past six months, Ren had been unable to escape the hellish voice and mental abuse, it even began to speak in his sleep, Ren holding quiet conversations himself while he was stuck in a deep slumber, allowing Makoto the perfect chance to overhear.

The next morning, after the first night it had happened, she spoke to him about it. He told her all about whatever voice was beginning to plague his mind and while she insisted he visited a therapist, he declined it time and time again. As long as he had her, he’d stay sane. 

Finally, he had arrived at the apartment complex, walking through the lobby, giving the workers at the front desk a small wave before entering the elevator. 

_**Do you really believe that becoming a detective will make her love you? A man like you?**_

“Makoto loves me, I know she does.” He muttered to himself. 

** _Again, do you really believe that?_ **

“Y-Yes.” He said, wincing at the thought that he stuttered to such a trivial question. “I know it.” He muttered again before the voice finally faded off. 

Ren adjusted his coat as the elevator reached its destination. He stepped out and began for her flat, pulling a key out of his pocket and pushing it into its respective slot, twisting it, untwisting it and sliding it back out. He opened the door and pushed inside. He stepped in and shut the door behind him, locking it. 

He unbuttoned his coat, setting it on the hanger before walking into the living room, taking a look at the watch on his left wrist. “Four hours until Makoto is done with her shift.” He mumbled, standing up and walking down the hallway, turning into what used to be an empty bedroom into his now office. He slid the door shut behind him and walked to his desk, pushing his laptop open, beginning to rummage through files, pulling up one on a case he had been working on for quite some time.

_Name: Altrovesky Paltrov_  
_ Date of Birth: 10-6-1997 (Age 22)_  
_Alias: The Hanged Man_  
_Crimes: Manslaughter, foul play, rape, sexual harassment, harassment, stalking, murder, impersonating an officer,_  
_Last seen: By me, standing across the street, branding a blade._  
_Victims: Jim Arsogo, Alexandra Clark, Wilfred Marquet, Elizabeth Margo, Jeremiah Felkon, Taylor Henningsworth, Bruce Crowley._

Ren shuddered at the thought of the man once more, remembering just how the man’s sunken eyes pierced his soul. Sure, Ren wasn’t scared of the man himself but what the man would do to the others around him, specifically Makoto.

While Makoto could very easily defend herself, keep herself composed under any situation he put her through, she had one major disadvantage (or advantage, depending on the situation).

Her justice.

She was as just as they get. And while that was definitely a good quality to have, it could possibly obscure her thoughts from those who live with no justice at all and would rather see the world burn, just for the hell of it. It was something that Ren could understand since he had met many men who were the same, but how many serial killers with no clear motives had Japan had to deal with in the past months, even years? None. However, in just the past six months, this lunatic had been able to kill and mutilate seven innocent people, most of whom happened to be tourists from America. 

Paltrov was cunning and beyond smart, he knew exactly what Ren knew. The police force wouldn’t be able to understand the lack of reasoning behind his murders. He was specifically targetting Ren, and he knew that whenever he was targetted, his loved one would become prime targets as well. 

Ren could already formulate (much to his disliking of it) a scenario of how it would play out. Makoto finally finds the bastard, begins the process of arresting him, but just as she finishes getting the handcuffs on him, the bastard would use the chains as a garrote wire and strangle Makoto when she’d least expect it, leaving her body strung up on the side of the wall, completely drained of blood, the face completely cut off, the eyeballs replaced with black marbles, and with a small note carved into the suspects left breast, gloating about another successful murder. 

He slammed his fist on the desk, everything atop of it rattling from the force of his punch. “I will not allow it!” He yelled, much louder than he had intended. 

Ren took a deep breath and sat back down, beginning to look over images of the crime scenes, looking at maps of where they took place, trying to pinpoint some sort of pattern. He had discovered a few things about Paltrov. The man had seemingly been targetting those who were foreign, he typically mutilated and put their corpses on display, and every single body had been discovered in an alleyway with messages carved into their skin. While the messages never seemed to bare any fruit to what would happen next, it certainly intrigued Ren enough for him to begin taking photos of each message.

He clicked out of that file and hovered over one that read **‘TO REMEMBER’** and clicked on it, opening up two smaller files, one titled **‘MN’** and the other titled **‘CASES’**

He clicked on the first file, opening up a collage of photos and pictures that had been taken in the past six months, all of which contained Makoto and him. He smiled as he clicked through them, starting from the top and working his way down, watching as Makoto grew much more photogenic. In the latter half of the images, she was always smiling adorably in the photos, sometimes she was wearing Ren’s sunglasses, sometimes she’d be wearing his round-framed glasses he was wearing now, sometimes she wouldn’t be wearing any at all. Certain pictures she exuded a strong and exciting aura, her mouth wide open as if the picture were taken while she was laughing, with him smirking over her shoulder. Those were his favorite images out of the hundreds of other favorite images he had stored. 

He loved that woman, that smile, and he knew damn well that Paltrov would have to get to her over his dead body. Even if Makoto was arguably a better fighter than him, he had the relentless nature needed to combat such a beast such as The Hanged Man. 

And relentless Ren will be, if the situation calls for it.


	2. Promotion

Ren shockingly was the first to wake up. He rolled on to his side and looked at the sleeping beauty that was Makoto. He grinned as he watched her heave gentle breaths, her hands balled up together just under her chin. He gently slid himself out from underneath the sheets, grabbing a spare pair of boxers from a drawer (that they had just recently gotten since he finally bought new clothes.) 

He went off into their bathroom and stepped into the shower, turning it to the perfect temperature for the water to very slightly sting his skin as each droplet fell, but it never felt _too_ burning hot. He hummed as he wet his hair, humming an American tune. 

_’You can run on for a long time’_   
_‘Run on for a long time’_   
_‘Run on for a long time’_   
_‘Sooner or later, God'll cut you down.’_

He kept his humming up until he heard the bathroom door open, which immediately silenced his humming. “Makoto?” 

“Ren.” She responded, yawning shortly after. “Mind if I hop in?” She asked, much too relaxed for what she was hinting at.

He was rather taken aback by the suggestion. “U-Uhm… Sure!?” He said. “I-I mean I’ve never really seen you naked and well… you’ve never seen me _fully_ naked either.” 

Makoto smirked and opened the sliding glass door, stepping in. “Is that a problem, Ren?” She teased. 

She couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but she was feeling awfully playful as of late. While Ren had been talking in his sleep and he was still battling his inner demons, he certainly was doing better for himself now and he got his priorities straight, which made her all the happier, which in turn made her feel like she could have a bit more fun with him. Hell, the past six months have held some of the best moments in her life, along with her graduating from college, becoming an officer, awakening and becoming Queen, or when she saw Satanael put a bullet in Yaldabaoth’s head- maybe she had a lot of ‘best moments.’ 

“N-No,” Ren responded, instinctively covering himself and attempting to hide as much of his scarred skin as possible.

Noticing his fear, Makoto also partially hid as well, using one of her arms to cover her breasts while the other hand reached out and placed a hand on her counterpart’s chest, just above his heart. 

He flinched slightly at the touch. “I-I know you probably wanted a man who isn’t torn up like me,” He began to ramble. “Damnit, I’ve gotten hurt so many times, my body is so sca-“

“Ren.” She cut him off. “I’ve seen these scars countless times.” She trailed off, her hand rising from his chest, across his collar bone, up to his neck, and up his cheek, her thumb circling the scar on his eye. “And regardless of how many scars you have, I will always feel the same about you.” 

Ren slowly began to uncover himself, his hands falling to his sides as he looked at her with an expressionless face. Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, hugging her head against his chest. 

She removed her arm from covering herself and wrapped them around his waist, enjoying the separate types of warmth both the water and Ren brought. Ren’s, however, was much hotter, so hot that it melted her heart every time she embraced him.

Ren finally drew back from the hug. “You should get ready, you’ve got work in an hour” He said with a curt nod and a big smile, which always melted her heart. He didn’t use to smile very much and he does it slightly more now, but it was something that would never become oversaturated. 

Makoto nodded and turned around, gesturing to her back with a small nod of her head. “Will you be so kind as to help me wash?” 

Ren gave a short nod with a coy grin, “Of course.”

—————

Shortly after they had both gotten washed up, Ren made some coffee while Makoto got dressed up in her presentation attire, the outfit she wore only on the most special of occasions. 

As soon as she returned from her room and walked into the kitchen, he turned and held out her mug. “Have I ever told you about Alex before he died?” He asked abruptly. 

Makoto took the mug and nodded. “Yes, you have Ren.” She took the warm mug up to her lips, taking a small sip of the rich and sugary coffee, letting out a satisfied hum shortly after. 

Ren looked away in discontent, slightly gyrating his cup, watching the creamy brown liquid spin. 

Makoto noticed his look of disappointment and walked up to him, setting her mug on the counter. She put her hand on his cheek and stood up on her tippy-toes, giving his other cheek a kiss. “Don’t beat yourself up about it, I believe that you’ll be able to remember this time.” She smiled and stepped back, grabbing her mug and returning it to her lips.

He grinned and nodded “Yeah… Maybe” He said, turning back to face her as he sipped his coffee. “Do you know what’s going on?” He asked, seeing her tilt her head in confusion. “With work- I mean.” 

“Oh! Well, I don’t really know for sure, but I’ve heard rumors about Commissioner Shigechi retiring.” She said, “We don’t know who the new Commissioner is going to be.”

“Anything else?” He asked, raising a brow. 

“Well, today is meant to introduce the new officers, detectives, etcetera.” She explained, taking another sip before continuing. “Also, days like these are when promotions are given.”

Ren nodded with a grin. “Well, I’ll see you there, Lieutenant.” He said with a cheeky smile. 

She nodded towards him and returned the mug. “I will see you soon, Ren.” 

—————

After a few hours, Ren, dressed in a sleek black suit accompanied aviator sunglasses, had finally arrived at the police station, which he could tell was packed by just how many cars were in the parking lot. 

He entered the building and walked past the empty receptionist desk, towards the smaller auditorium that was tucked away beside the firing range. As soon as he stepped in, he could see officers sitting in chairs, along with the higher-ranking cops standing on stage beside the Commissioner who was just beginning to announce the names of the greenies who had just moved up from the academy. 

He noticed Makoto standing furthest to the right on the stage, a small smile on her face as she saw each and every cadet come up and grab their badge from the Commissioner.

Seeing others who shared a similar dream always made her bubble in excitement, she was glad she wasn’t the only person who held a strong sense of justice and righteousness. She always looked forward to working with her new comrades every single year they held this event, she remembered exactly how it felt when she walked up and grabbed that badge from Commissioner Shigechi, and she was now picturing each and every one of those rookies feeling the same way, it really did warm her heart. 

“Now, last but certainly not least,” Shigechi said, “I would like to humbly invite a new detective into our force, he is a man with resolve as strong as steel and a man who returned to Shibuya just under a year ago to help the fight against crime in this great city… Amamiya Ren.” He said, with a large grin.

Makoto was smashed with a wave of both confusion and disbelief. Her eyes widened as she looked over at the Commissioner and then back to Ren, who was now walking down the aisle in between the seats. _‘I knew he was working as a PI, but a detective!?’_

Ren held his stolid expression and stepped up the stage, taking Shigechi’s hand in his own, giving him a firm shake, taking the badge in the other hand. “Thank you, sir.” He said dully before turning around and returning back down to his seat, looking back over at Makoto with a now amused grin as he could see her staring at him with a dropped jaw and wide eyes. 

Commissioner Shigechi continued once more, “Now, just before this we close out this ceremony, I would like to announce one more thing.” He huffed out into the mic as the room grew quiet. He adjusted his tie before beginning to give his speech, a long and meticulously crafted tale of his time as an officer for the SPD. “... And I would like to let you all know, I am going to be retiring.” He finally finished, the room bursting into a set of claps and cheers. 

Shigechi waited once more for the cheering to die down before speaking one final time. “And you all may be wondering who will be running this joint when I’m gone? And I am truly proud to say that the new Commissioner for the Shibuya Police Department, is Lieutenant Niijima Makoto.” 

Makoto, who thought she couldn’t get even more flabbergasted, recoiled her head back and it darted over to look at Shigechi, who was still looking out into the crowd with a grin. She looked back to the crowd of officers, the room exploded in energy as hoots, hollers, and cheers erupted from most of the veterans and cadets alike. She stepped out from the line and walking towards the podium beside Shigechi, filling in his place behind the microphone as he stepped out of her way.

“I definitely wish you told me about this beforehand, Commissioner. I would have had something written!” She said with a light and nervous laugh as she looked back at the now-silent crowd, noticing Ren sitting in the back with a huge smile on his face.”But, ever since I was a young girl, I wanted to become a police officer, just like my father. He was the best man I ever knew and he was not only that, but he was also the best officer I can think of. He died in the process of investigating the gang wars that had been taking place.” She admitted, her voice growing softer as she spoke. “And I want to thank you, Commissioner, for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and I do look forward to serving with you all.” She said, bowing her head as she stepped back from the podium as the crowd cheered once more. 

Makoto got back in line, battling off the tears that threatened to race down her cheeks. She had made it, her dream come true, she was going to be the Commissioner of the city she loved so much. (She also technically had full right to boss Ren around, which was an added bonus to her becoming commissioner.) 

Shortly after the ceremony ended and after she was bombarded with congratulations from what felt like every single officer in the police force, she saw Ren leaning against the wall in the back of the room, just beside the exit door. She stepped down the stage, waiting for the last of the workers to disappear until she practically ran and threw herself into Ren’s arms, her face pressed tightly against his chest, tears now flowing freely from her eyes. 

“You did it, _Commissioner.”_ He said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. 

She chuckled quietly and pulled back using a hand to wipe away the droplets that wetted her cheeks, looking up at him. “There are certainly a lot of emotions going through my head right now. You becoming a detective- out of nowhere might I add, me becoming the commissioner, and just these past six months in general have been absolutely wonderful…” 

Ren’s lips spread into a wide smile as he didn’t even respond. He turned his head to the door but then quickly turned it back, slipping a hand away from behind her back and hooking his index finger under her chin, pulling it up towards him as he placed his lips on hers, pulling away quickly. “Your father would be so proud, Makoto.” He whispered somberly.

She nodded and held a bittersweet smile. “I’m honored and glad to make him so proud.” 

He sighed and pulled her close for one final hug before loosening his grip, “Would you like to head home, now? Have a celebratory lunch or something?” 

Makoto pulled back from the hug and rubbed her eyes and face once more. “I would like to, but I still have a job to complete, as do you.” She said with a chuckle. “You might as well enjoy the last day of you being your own boss.” 

He sighed and nodded. “Still no traces of Hanged Man.” He muttered, turning his head to the side. 

“Well, do some digging today, who knows, he might even appear today.” She said, walking towards the door. “I’ll see you tonight, Ren.” 

He gave her a small wave and waited a few more moments until she left, only to avoid the awkwardness of saying goodbye then sticking by each other for just a few more moments. 

—————

Shortly after Ren departed from the station, he slipped on his sunglasses and began to walk, heading the opposite direction of their apartment. He hummed to himself as his eye darted left and right, scanning the area for any sort of sign of Paltrov.

‘It’s been over four weeks since his last victim… He has to strike sometime soon.’ He thought to himself.

_ **‘If you were a murderer, what would you do?’** _

“Shut up, I don’t need your help right now…” He muttered quietly to himself.

** _‘He’s been targeting tourists, you imbecile… Wouldn’t it make sense to check the more popular places in Shibuya, or rather, the airport?’_ **

Ren stopped for a second, thinking for a second. That voice in his head was right. “Goddamn you.” He growled to himself, turning and running back towards the apartment. 

As soon as he got back to the apartment complex, he sprinted up the stairs, skipping the elevator for speed. 

** _‘I’m surprised you didn’t see the pattern, every five weeks there has been a murder, I’m sure that would imply that every 4 weeks he’d pick his target.’_ **

“Shut up, you’re right.” He muttered quietly, jamming his key into their door and swinging it open, reaching in and grabbing a set of keys off of a hanger that was on the wall beside the door. He turned back around and pulled the door to a close, locking it and darting back down the stairs. 

As soon as he got the garage, he mounted Makoto’s motorcycle. (He knew full well she’d probably kill him for not wearing a helmet and for taking Johanna without asking, but now was an emergency.)

Ren jammed the key into the ignition and twisted it, revving the bike’s engine before darting out of the garage, racing towards the airport. 

—————

Makoto hummed as she walked back towards her office, giving small nods to those who praised and congratulated her once more. She turned and knocked on the Commissioner’s door, waiting for an answer.

She hummed and tapped her foot while she waited. 

A few more knocks and a few more minutes went by and there was still nothing. Makoto sighed and opened up the door, beginning to step through. “Commissioner, I would just like to thank y-“ She stopped before she could finish her sentence as she stared at the gruesome and sick scene in front of her.

Makoto drew her pistol as she entered the room, clearing it completely of any dangers. She then reverted her gaze to the grizzly scene. 

It was Shigechi’s corpse. 

It was strung up and hung from the ceiling, a massive cut all the way from his neck down to his groin. Makoto nearly vomited at the sight of the Commissioner’s organs nearly spilling out of his stomach. She looked around the room and saw that the window was still shut, there seemed to be no signs of struggle anywhere. She turned and sprinted into the hallway, screaming as loud as possible. “The Commissioner was murdered!”

—————

Ren finally arrived at the airport, he parked in the parking lot and began his search. He looked practically everywhere, searching through crowds, looking out of windows, he was looking everywhere possible. He checked the bathrooms, the staff rooms, there were even a few times he searched through a storage closet, it wasn’t until he came across an officer’s hat that was resting on an empty seat. 

Ren immediately used his third eye, noticing the golden finger prints that covered the brim of the cap. He got onto a knee and analyzed them closer, noticing the very faint marks, it almost looked as if someone tried to burn away their fingerprints with an acidic compound.

It was Paltrov, it matched perfectly to the prints on all of the other clues. 

He sighed lifted the hat, noticing a folded piece of paper inside. He took it and unrolled it.

_Dear Detective Amamiya,_

_Yes, I do hear a lot, I’ve heard all of your recent conversations with Commissioner Shigechi, I know where you and that pretty Lieutenant Makoto live, I know what your schedules are, I know that she works six days a week, four of them where she is out on patrol and two where she is in the department. I know her office is the last one on the left side of the hallway._

_I want to let you know that Mister Shigechi is already dead and I’ve already had my fun with him and I will give you a decision right now._

_I left behind a clue inside his hanging corpse, if you take it, I will hunt you and that pretty Makoto Niijima down and kill you both very, very, very, very slowly. I will flay her alive, cook the flesh, and enjoy the meal right in front of her. I wonder what her meat will taste like, probably chewy, since she is so strong and all. Mmm, I’m already salivating at the thought of her legs, they’re always the most delicious part of the women._

_Your other option is to leave the case and leave me be, let me do as I desire and let me feast on the innocent of Shibuya._

_Sincerely yours, Detective_

_The Hanged Man —Paltrov_

He stuffed the paper into his pocket, ripping his phone out of his pocket, dialing a number and putting it up to his ear.

_“Ren, where are you at right now?!”_

“Nevermind that! Quickly get to Shigechi, he’s in danger, it’s Paltrov! He left a note at the airport!” 

_“...”_

“Makoto?!” 

_“Ren, Shigechi is dead.”_

He inhaled sharply through his teeth. “I’ll be there soon.” 

_“I’ve alerted the whole department, they’ve already set up a five-mile perimeter around the department, he won’t escape Shibuya.”_

“He doesn’t want to escape.” Ren said, sprinting back towards the parking lot, shoving his way through the groups of people walking. 

_“How do you know what he wants and what he’s going to do next?!”_ She snapped back

“He wants us, Makoto!” He shouted before ending the call as he sprinted outside.

** _’I can help you, Ren. You’re just going to need to let me._ **

“Shut up…” Ren growled to himself as he mounted the motorcycle.

** _’You’ll be begging soon enough, Detective.‘_ **


	3. The Hateful Helper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren begins his investigation on Commissioner Shigechi’s death, disregarding the threats from the Hanged Man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does have some rather touchy subjects and it also is a bit gross/morbid. Just a lil warning!

_ **Siberia, Russia. 2006** _

The stout and fat man peered out of the apartment window, his beady eyes darting left and right through the slits of the blinds. He pulled back with a snarl as red and blue lights flashed through the window.

He turned, stomping his way further into his old cabin, walking down the stairs to a stone-structured basement. At the bottom, he heard hushed groans and moans. He stepped past a flat metallic gurney and swung open the door of a locker, a young teenage boy, around the age of thirteen fell out, a small loincloth being his only covering in the frigid cold basement. 

The stout man lifted the boy up and placed him on the gurney, admiring the work that he had done in the past thirteen years.

The boy’s eyelids were cut off, leaving a hollow appearance, which is added upon with the boy’s eyebrows and hair being cleanly cut away. The stout man had also starved the young boy, his malnourished body becoming skeletal and almost otherworldly. While the boy had been starved and carved, he was somehow still alive and the years-worth of sleepless nights for him had warped his mind. 

The sadistic fat man’s admiration was interrupted by a loud banging on the door, a loud man screaming in the room. 

“открыть!” _(Open up!)_

He growled and turned back to the boy, who was now standing before him motionless, staring at him with the wide-open eyes, an expressionless stare on his face, but his head was slightly tilted to the right. 

The man put his hands on the shoulders of the boy, looking him dead in the hollowed eyes. “слушай меня мой мальчик.” _(Listen to me, my boy.)_ “буть свободен.” _(Be free)_ “теперь беги, мой маленький.” _(Now flee, my little one.)_ The stout man said, gesturing to the stairs. 

The boy looked at him and nodded, hobbling past him and up the stairs. He walked through a maze-like first floor, this was the first time he had ever left the basement. He hobbled weakly through the halls, following the sound of yells at the front door. Just as soon as he reached the door, it burst open, three men immediately rushing into the room, all armed with Kalashnikovs, dressed in black armor with balaclavas covering their faces. The leading man trained his gun on the child but quickly eased his rifle down, looking at the other two, ordering them to clear out the house with a few hand signals. 

While the other two dispersed, the leader went down onto his knee and looked at the boy. “как тебя зовут, мальчик?” _(What is your name, boy?)_ The man asked.

The boy shook his head, looking down at his feet. 

The officer sighed and looked around, taking his radio in his hand. “есть выживший, нам нужна скорая помощь.” _(There’s a survivor, we need an ambulance.)_

As soon as he stood back up, there was a loud gunshot that rang throughout the building. The man in the suit of armor pulled up his gun, training it on the hallways until he heard one of his men on the radio.

“я нашел его, он застрелился” _(I found him, he’s shot himself.)_

The man sighed in relief and swung his rifle over his back. “есть какие-нибудь подробности о мальчике?” He responded back to the radio. 

“здесь написано, что мальчика зовут Альтровеский Палтров” _(It says here the boy’s name is Altrovesky Paltrov.)_

The man nodded and turned back to the boy, taking him into his arms— holding him over his shoulder as he walked out of the cabin. “Он больше не может причинить тебе боль, ты в безопасности.” _(He can’t hurt you anymore, you’re safe.)_

The boy stared at the cabin over the man’s shoulder, seeing the other two men exit, dragging the corpse of the stout captor along with them. 

————————

** _Shibuya, Japan. Present Day_ **

Ren finally got back to the police station, sprinting up the stairs and into the police department. He pushed through the crowds of officers who were rushing out of the building to set up a perimeter. “No one goes in that room!” He yelled out, walking into the long hallway that lead to the offices, noticing both Ryuji and Makoto standing at the end of the hallway, directly by Shighechi’s office. 

As soon as he approached, Makoto turned to him, a furious glare in her eyes as she approached him. “Find a single clue, anything. I want to find that bastard!” After that, she stomped past him and continued down towards the crowds, shouting more orders. 

Ren sighed and turned back to Ryuji. “Did you find anything?” 

Ryuji shook his head. “No, man. This whole situation is beyond effed up.” 

Ren nodded. “He must’ve waited until this specific day… If he knew today was a ceremonial-type day, he must have someone on the inside or he’s close enough to overhear someone talking about it.” 

The blonde weapons-expert frowned, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “Sheesh. That’s terrifying to think about.”

Ren nodded once more and took a deep breath, pushing through the office door. “Give me a moment.” He mumbled, shutting the door behind him. 

He focused on the scene, which was thankfully uncontaminated. He took a few deep breaths and sighed ou, shutting his eye and beginning to focus. He opened it back up and everything was tinted a dark blue color, he began to study the surroundings- regardless of how bad it hurt his head- and tried to analyze every single detail. He took a few steps and was a bit wobbly, he took a deep breath and exhaled sharply through clenched teeth as he fought through the growing ache in his head. He first looked at the massive gash wound in the man’s stomach, noticing it’s rough cuts and ‘chunking’ of flesh, proving there it was a hunting knife with a serrated edge. 

Pulling back from the body, Ren groaned quietly and held his head as he went out of focus, his vision darkening as he collapsed to one knee. He grit his teeth in pain before standing up and shutting his eyes, resuming the investigation. “I will find this bastard.” He growled. 

**‘You will, only because you’re using my aid.’**

“Shut up.” He growled back to himself. “I’ve had this ability long before you came.” 

**‘Have you?’**

The voice’s response was ominous, but he finally disappeared and with that, Ren continued. 

He clenched his hand into a tight ball and began to look around the room, avoiding sharp movements in order to try and prevent his head from hurting even more than it already did. Immediately, he noticed the drawer of Shigechi’s desk had been tampered with, the handle growing a bright gold color. He walked around and opened it up, fishing a small piece of paper. 

_‘Dear Detective Amamiya, _

_It’s me, again. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that I’m far gone from the station and if you’re reading this letter, you’ve made your decision to investigate me further. I suppose I’ll take your challenge. Just remember that. _

_Let us play a game. _

_Yngoen Yjaa Face cnLeBa, Herte Sayd. _

_люблю, пальтров (Love, Paltrov)’_

Ren cursed under his breath and began to decode whatever ‘game’ he was now playing. But for some reason, Ren couldn’t figure it out, it was easy, he shouldn’t have been struggling as he was, but something was amiss about him. He groaned out in pain as his vision darkened and returned to normal, only for him to completely blackout.

—————

Ren woke up, finding himself in the bathroom of him and Makoto’s apartment. He felt something drip down his hand and heard droplets hit the ground beneath him. After a few short seconds, he felt a brutal stinging on his wrist. He raised his hand and saw blood was covering the majority of his palm, the thick red liquid still dripping. Ren looked in his other hand and noticed he was holding his smaller blade, which the point was covered in blood. 

Ren sighed and flicked it shut, tucking it into his pocket as he pulled up his sleeve, where he could see cuts and slices in his wrist, they almost seemed to be shaping into something but Ren couldn’t spell out what it was with the blood. He rushed to the edge of the counter and grabbed the paper towels, soaking them in water as he began to clean his wrist off until the cuts became visible. They were letters and they were spelling something.

**‘YONGEN JAYA CAFE LEBLANC THREE DAYS’**

Ren tilted his head in confusion, but he noticed the slip of paper on counter. He rushed and grabbed it with his non-bloodied hand, reading through the letter and comparing the code to the carving on his wrist. 

“Oh God… Oh God, oh God, oh God.” He repeated to himself, his eyes widened as he slipped the note into his pocket, pulling down his sleeve to hide the still bleeding wounds as best as possible. The rookie detective pushed out of the bathroom and looked into the hallway, hearing the sound of the TV in the living room. Ren was beginning to panic, his head was throbbing in pain, and his wrist stung like a bitch. He quickly rushed out of the bathroom and darted for the front door. He ran and swung the door open, only to see Makoto standing there at the door. 

Makoto widened her eyes and recoiled back from the sudden face-to-face confrontation. She had noticed he was holding on tightly to his wrist, which lead to his bloodied hand, he was panting heavily, and there was the look of pure fear in his eye. “Ren?” She asked. 

“M-Makoto!” He exclaimed, taking a few steps back, allowing her to enter. “Come in! I have to go, real quick, I need to grab something!” He spoke fast, jittery, and in near hysterics. _‘What is happening to me, what is happening to me…’_ He repeated in his head as he tried to get past Makoto.

“Stop there, Ren.” She ordered, grabbing his arm as he tried to pass, locking him in place. She walked past him and dragged him back into the apartment, seeing a small blood trail come from the bathroom. “You’re bleeding, you’re panicked, and you’re out of it. What is happening?” 

“Makoto, I promise I’m okay, I just need to get o-“ 

“No!” She yelled out, a little louder than she had wanted, the look on Ren’s immediately making her regret her decision. Even though it wasn’t an excuse to take it out on Ren, it had been quite the stressful day for her. Her voice softened as she brought him to the kitchen, holding his hand over the sink so he didn’t keep making a mess, “Tell me what is happening, Ren.” 

He only whimpered and raised his wet sleeve, showing her the gashes on his wrist. “I-I don’t know, Makoto! I blacked out and woke up with these!” 

Makoto’s eyes widened as she saw all the cuts on his wrist, her first assumption was the worst. Was he suicidal? Makoto certainly didn’t push that out of the realm of possibility, especially after all he had been through. Not to mention, his story didn’t quite check out. She heard reports from officers and from Ryuji that he had walked out of the room in a calm manner, acting the same as he always did. Makoto was skeptical of his story. “Ren… Are you okay?” 

Ren knew she wasn’t asking if he was physically okay, but mentally- and in all honesty, he didn’t know if he was. “M-Makoto, you have to believe me! I don’t know what happened!” He tried to reason with her. “I was trying to solve a puzzle that Paltrov wrote for me and then I passed out and woke up with the solution carved into my wrist! I promise that is what happened!” 

The sheer desperation in his voice was enough to convince her. She sighed and nodded. “Fine… I believe you, but what is the solution?” 

“I-It says Yongen Jaya Cafe Leblanc Three days.” He repeated. 

Makoto sulked and nodded. “I see.” She mumbled quietly, before continuing. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Ren, then you can show me these letters.” 

Ren nodded slowly, watching as she reached beneath the sink and grabbed a med-kit, taking the rubbing alcohol and pouring it onto a cotton ball, beginning to gently dab it against the cuts.

Ren inhaled through clenched teeth, exhaling slowly as the alcohol burned and stung against his wound. He then watched her grab a needle along with string, looking up at him with a stare that practically said, _‘Are you ready?’_ Which he nodded in response, and slowly, one by one, each cut was stitched up. Every now and then Makoto would speak soft words to hopefully try and make him feel better. Finally, she finished the last stitch after a long thirty minutes of grueling pain. 

Makoto sighed and put everything away, sliding the medical kit underneath the sink in the cabinet. “We’ll go to Leblanc, tomorrow, don’t worry.” She assured, resting her hand on his chest. “And actually, we can continue with the letters there, okay?” 

Ren nodded, not uttering a word as he simply stood there and stared at his wrist. ‘I know it was you.’ He said to his conscious.

**‘You’re welcome for the answer, fool.’**

Ren sulked and looked back at Makoto, sighing softly. “Makoto… I-“ He trailed off, unsure of how he’d be able to bring up his bizarre condition. “I-I…. Hear voices.” 

_‘God damn. You stupid idiot.’_

Makoto was jarred by his sudden claim and looked at him with a look of bewilderment. “You mean you have schizophrenia?” She asked.

Ren nodded, then shook his head immediately after. “But he- it… It controls me at times. Whenever, I black out… I end up in different places than I was before.” He mumbled, blinking a few times, as a sudden and sharp pain struck him in his head once more, another migraine that matched the pain of his past one during his investigation. He groaned in pain and almost fell, only for him to fall into the arms of Makoto. 

“Hey, Ren- Woah, woah!” She held her arms out, pulling him into her and taking his weight onto her own as she supported him. “What happened, what’s wrong?!” 

Ren regained his strength and stood back up slowly, slightly off balance as he shook his head. “I’m fine- just a migraine…” He said quietly, “Can we go lay down..?”

Makoto frowned, once again, he was changing the subject and not letting her in on something. Did it have to do with the voices? The blacking out? Possibly even his third-eye? But those were questions for another time. She nodded, “I’ll be right there. I just have to clean up the halls.” She sighed out. 

Ren frowned as well, “I’m… sorry for- y’know- bleeding everywhere.” 

Makoto shook her head. “Just go to the room, Ren… I’ll join you shortly.” She said, almost a bit too snappily for her own liking. 

With that, Ren nodded and disappeared into the hallway and into the bedroom. 

Ren began to undress himself, stripping down into only his boxers and slipping underneath the sheets, shortly after he heard Makoto enter the room, where she too got comfy for sleep, facing away from him she took off her bra and put on a plain white shirt along with her Buchimaru-kun pajama bottoms.

He watched her climb over him and crawl beside him underneath the covers, snuggling alongside Ren. “Hey, Makoto… I’m uhm… I’m sorry for what happened to Shigechi.” He said solemnly, knowing well that she had been attempting to hide her pain over her lost mentor. He knew the second he saw the look in her eyes back at the police station.

She didn’t respond, but only clung on to him tighter, resisting her urge to tear up and cry into his shoulder. Shigechi taught her everything on how to be a righteous, good, and well-respected officer. He brought her under his wing and trained her, she had served under him for six years and she could have seen him as a second father. 

“We’ll make it through.” He said reassuringly, “As long as we stick together.” He whispered, rolling onto his side and planting a kiss onto her head as he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, the both of them lying in a tense and melancholic silence throughout the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter is finally out and we’re beginning to slowly uncover the story of Paltrov, the weirdest character I have ever written in my life. 
> 
> Anywho, thank you to all of those who read or are still reading this series, it makes my day everytime I post and see people enjoy what I write, so again, thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> Woooot!!!! \\[-W-]/ 
> 
> After an 80 day hiatus (yes, exactly eighty days today), there is finally a new Shibuya's Dog chapter (and new part as well!) 
> 
> All I can say is that if you're still sticking around with this series after such an abysmally long wait, thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you very very very much. You're all the best and I couldn't ask for a better community to be apart of. 
> 
> And hey- if you're enjoying the series or glad to see it finally come back, why not leave a comment? It lets me know you all are still with SD and it also makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. c:


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